Hanger attachment for lighting fixtures



May 9, 1950 M. H. KRUGER HANGER ATTACHMENT FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES FiledSept. 14, 1945 7////////////////////////////////////////////&

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE HAN GER ATTACI-MENT FORLIGHTING FIXTURES Application September 14, 1945, Serial Ne. 616,'327

4 Claims. (Ci. 248--345) 'I his invention relates to hanger attachmentsfor lighting fixtures, and particularly for fiuorescent lighting xtures.Fluorescent lighting fixtures, particularly in commercial installations,are o'dinarily heavy structures With heavy frames and refiector, whichare Suspended on long hangers from a ceiling. The hangers are ordinarilybolted rigidly to both ceiling strap and xture, and cannot be readilyassembled or disassembled, and over a long period may become unscrewed,dropping or damaging the fixture.

My hanger attachment is designed to overcome the defects anddisadvantages of previous structures, will permit the fixture to Swingon the hanger, is readily assembled and disassembled, is positivelylocked against turning movement and cannot become unscrewed from thefixture. At the same time the structure is simple and inexpensive toconstruct, install and maintain.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofConstruction and arrangement of parte illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of theprior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing specification in connection with the acoompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the hanger attachment in use;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a part of the attachment;

Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations showing the hanger in locked and uniocled position respectively; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the strap and hanger rodseparately.

in the dr-awings e represents an electrical outlet connection from whichthe hanger and lighting fixtnre is Suspended in any suit ble manner asby fixture stud i i and nut 42 secured to strap !3. strap s comprises aflat piece M preferably of sheet metal, having a central aperture !5 forreceiv'ng an attaching stud, such as fixture stud H and nut 12. Apertureiis preferably elongated to permit centering of the attachment withrespect to the area it is to occupy. Apertures I ia are also providedfor receiving aligning studs (not shown). strap !3 is bent down oroffset at the ends thereof to extend at a lower plane from the mainportion M, comprising Side walls !6 and ends l l. Two slots !8 and !5are formed in side walls it, slot !9 being narrower than slot i andforming in efiect one T-shaped slot therein, with the upper slot !8extending longitudinally into the narrower slot IS formed in each endportion ll. The side walls 'B adjacent narrower slot !9 form in effect apair of end abutments 20 which serve to prevent hanger tube 25 fromsliding out of slots 19, once they have been inserted, as describedbelow. A pair of hanger tubes 25, which are preferably hollow to permitinsertion of wires, are arranged to be appended from strap !3 at theoiiset ends l'l thereof, and have fiat parallel grooves 26 formed in thetop end of each rod of the approximate 'width of slots !9, providing ineffect a T-shaped head 21 on the tubes 25. Grooves 25 formed in top endsof each tube 25 are high enough to permit heads 21 to pass overabutments 20 on side walls !6, when appendng the tubes 25 from straps !3by inserting their heads 21 through slots I 8 and !9. The bottom ends ofeach tube 25 are screw-threaded as at 23 for screwing into complementarythreaded portions of the lighting fixture (not shown) which is appendedfrom the tubes 25.

The tubes 25, having been screwed into the lighting fixture at theirbottom ends 28, as described, and the strap !3 having been firmlysecui-*ed to the electrical outlet, as by fixture stud I l and nut !2,the heads 21 of tubes 25 are then passed through slots l 3 and I 9formed in side walls Is and moved outwardly toward the ends of strap !3,whereby grooves 26 become inserted in slots !9 in the end portions ll.'I'ubes 25 are then prevented from sliding out of slots !9 by abutments20 on side walls 16, but can be moved out by lifting them, so that heads21 will pass through slots !8 and |9 formed in side walls IB overabutments 20 thereon, for the purpose of disassemblng the xture. At thesame time, the flat grooves 2-6 in the top of tubes 25, when held in theslots lg in the ends ll' of strap [3 prevent the tubes from turning ortwisting, and becoming unscrewed from the appended fixture, which hasbeen a defect in previous constructions. Rigidity in :a hangerattachment for lighting xtures is a disadvantage, however, and the sameconstruction of slots l in the strap IS, whereby tubes 25 are appendedtheref'om by grooves '26 formed in the tops of said tubes 25, permitsthe lighting fixture to sway and yield laterally without injury to thefixture and hanger parts. Frequently the & electrical outlet connectionfor such lighting fixtures is not precisely located for the area it isto occupy and elongated central aperture in strap !3 permits relativeadjustment of strap !3 with respect to such electrical outlet.

It will thus be seen I have devised a simple and inexpensive structure,having; many advantages and which overcomes the 'defects of prevousstructures of this nature.

I claim:

i. In a hanger attachment for lighting fixtures, a strap having acentral elongated aperturefor attaching said strap to an electricaloutlet, angled side walls extending downwardly" adjacent the ends ofsaid strap, and offset-er''ds extending horizontally from said sidewalls, a T-shaped slot in said side walls, thebottontof;theslotrexterding horizontally into said offset ends, a pair.of tubular rods having parallel grooves adjacent the top ends thereof,and forming a T-shaped head thereon adapted to be" passed through 'theslot in said side walls and 'into-the slot in said offset ends, whereby`-saidrods -are held loosely sus- V 'pended from the slot in saidoffset-ends, and the side walls of said'strap adja'cent the lower end`of said slot thereinform abutments preventing said rods from slidingoutof engagement with the Slots in said'fiset' ende.

2. Ina hanger attachment for lighting fixtures, a strap having acentralelongated aperture for attaching said strapto an electrcaioutlet, angled side walls extending downwardly adj acent the ends ofsaidstrapsyandoifset ends 'extending horizontally 'from *said sidewalls; a 'T-shaped slot in said side' walls, `the' bottom ofsaidslot"extending horizontally into'said offset ends, a 'par'of' tubulai* rodshaving arallel grooves* adijacent .the. top'ends' ther'ebf, *and*`forming a T-shaped 'head thereon adapted i to i be passed through the.slot in said side'walls andinto'the slot in* said osetendswhereby'said' rods are a eld loosely suspended'from'the'slotiin saidoffset ends, and the. side wallsxof said' strapsadjacent the lower endof'said slot therein form abutments preventing said'- ods from:slidingout' of 'engagement with the Slots insaid offset'ends, and

"said rods having' means at their' bottom' ends thereof for detachablyconnecting said rods to a i lighting fxture.

3. In a hanger attachment forlighting fixtures, a strap havinga*centralelongated aperture' for narrower slot insaid ofiset ends,Whereby said *parallel grocves adjacent the' top ends thereof,

adapted to he passed through the Slots in said side Walls and thegrooved portion thereof into the -Tods are held loosely Suspended fromthe slot in said ofiset ends, and the side walls of said strap formabutments preventing said rods from sliding 15-- outeof-engagement Withthe narrower Slots in said offset ends.

v 4.' In a hanger attachment for lighting fixtures, a strap having acentral elongated aperture for adjustably attaching said strap to anelectrical outlet, angled side Walls extending downwardlyadjacent'the'ends of said strap, and offset ends extending horizontallyfrom said: side walls, a,

`slot insaid side Wal1sand a narrower slot formed in-saidside Walls andextendinghorizontally .into :sai-'i cffset ends, a pair of' tubular rodshaving parallel grooves adjacent 'thettop ends thereof,

v adapted to be passed through: thelslots in said side walls and thegrooved portion thereofv into thenarrower slot inxsaid offsetends,whereby said 'ods are held'. loosely Suspended from the slot in saidoffset ends; and the sideivalls of said strap form abutmen tspreventingvsaid rods from sliding out of engagementwith the narroWerSlots in said voffset ends, and said rods hav- 'ing threaded portions atthe bottom -ends thereof for'deta'chably connectings'aid rods to alighting file of' this patent:

UNITED STATES -PATENTS '-'Number I Name "Date (324;671 'O'Bri'en May 9,1899 1 818314 -Riggs et al Aug. 11, 1931 1,824308 Davis et al Sept; 22,1931 1 21198397 Bramming Nov. .16, 1937 2,336,414 'Mitchell Dec. 7,1943

